Illuminated marine advertising vessel

Abstract: A water borne billboard is provided in the form of a marine vessel designed to accommodate a billboard for display along heavily populated coastlines. The billboard is two-sided, both side being visible to observers on the coastline by either rotating the pivotally mounted billboard while the vessel is moving or reversing the direction of the vessel. The vessel is operated by one or more operators and may be designed to conceal the operators from view by the observers. The vessel is propelled by conventional means such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor.

Description: This invention relates generally to the field of outdoor advertising and specifically billboard-type outdoor advertising. More particularly, the invention relates to a marine vessel that carries a billboard that can be easily viewed from a nearby coastline. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The concept of billboard-type advertising is well-known. Billboards prominently displayed along the nation's highways have been used for decades. Billboards have become an increasingly important type of advertising for the alcohol and tobacco industries because of restrictions on alcohol and tobacco advertising on television and radio. Billboards also are an important form of advertising for local events and attractions such as fairs, festivals, auctions as well as the opening of local businesses such as restaurants and retail establishments. Another common type of outdoor advertising is the use of portable billboards carried by planes and automobiles. Specifically, it is well known to fly airplanes carrying banners that promote local events, services or products above crowds gathered at a large stadium for a sporting event. Lately, it has become a common practice to employ a truck or a van to transport a billboard-type display in crowded cities and towns advertising a new product, event or service. It has also been proposed to employ outdoor billboard-type advertising schemes in marine environments. Specifically, it has been proposed to provide a marine vessel capable of providing billboard-type advertising along crowded beaches or parks located next to a coastline. Local events can thereby be advertised to large numbers of vacationing consumers, and the marine-based billboards are also an effective means of advertising alcohol and tobacco products. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a marine vessel ideally equipped to carry billboards for use in advertising events, products and services along a coastline. It starts from the marine vessel disclosed in FR-A-2 641 248, on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, but includes the improvement set forth in the characterising part of claim 1 with a view to cooling the operator control station on hot days. Preferably the billboard is rotatably mounted on the support means so that the sign can be rotated or reversed,thereby exposing both sides of the billboard to the coastline without turning the vessel around. It is also foreseeable that electronic-type billboards could be employed with the present invention, thereby enabling a variety of displays on each side of the billboard without rotating or switching the billboard. Advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and appended claims, and upon reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a marine advertising vessel made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a starboard side view of the marine vessel shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front or bow side view of the marine vessel shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear or stern side view of the marine vessel shown in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a top plan view of the marine vessel shown in Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIOH Like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or similar parts from Figure to Figure in the following description of the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiment shown herein is sometimes illustrated by graphic systems and diagrammatic representations. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiment illustrated herein. Turning to Figure 1, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Specifically, the marine vessel 10 includes pontoons 11, 12 as primary flotation devices. The surface deck 13 is disposed on top of the pontoons 11, 12 and accommodates the support structures 14, 15 to which the billboard 16 is mounted. The billboard, or means for displaying indicia 16, may be pivotally attached to the supports 14, 15 via bolts, like the one shown at 17, and therefore the billboard 16 may be rotatably mounted to supports 14, 15 so that both opposing sides or surface 18, 19 (see Figure 3) may be displayed to people on a coastline without changing the direction of the vessel 10. The light fixture shown at 21 provides a means for illuminating the surface area 18 of the billboard 16 to enable the vessel 10 to be a useful advertising tool at night. Other features shown in Figure 1 include a fuel tank 22, an operator control station 23 and bow 26. Turning to Figure 2, a view of the vessel 10 as seen from the coastline is presented. Consumers can easily see the indicia displayed on the surface area 18 of the billboard 16. Rotation of the billboard 16 about the bolts or fasteners 17, 17a enables the surface area 18 to be pivoted 180° for presentation of the surface area 19 outward toward the coastline. It will also be noted that the supports 14, 15 and fasteners 17, 17a could be positioned at the top 29 and bottom 31 of the billboard 16 thereby enabling rotation of the billboard 16 about a vertical axis as opposed to the horizontal axis of rotation as provided in the figures. A variety of propulsion means 24 may be provided in the form of propellers or jets. Also, an outboard motor may be mounted to the stern 25 or other areas of the vessel. Turning to Figure 3, a front end view or a view of the bow 26 is shown. A view of the propellant or engine is illustrated at 27 as well as the port side lighting at 21a. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the operator control station 23 extends below the water line 28 and may even provide complete enclosure of the operator and therefore hide the operator from view. The operator would stay cool in the control station 23 on hot days due to the partial submersion of the operation control station 23 below the surface of the water 28. Finally, as seen in Figure 5, the surface deck 13 provides ample room for the operator to maneuver the billboard 16 in the event that the billboard 16 needs to be rotated about the pivots 17, 17a. Thus, one embodiment of a marine vessel 10 suitable for use as a moving billboard display vessel is shown and described. Of course, other embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Specifically, a variety of vessel designs including but not limited to mono hull embodiments or vessels employing a catamaran-type hull could be used. It is also foreseeable that electronic billboards could be used which would enable a variety of graphic presentations to be displayed on the surface areas 18, 19. Although only one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will at once be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the hereafter appended claims.

Claims: A motor boat (10) for the display of advertising, the motor boat comprising: a bow (26), a stern (25) and port and starboard sides, at least two pontoons (11,12) including a port pontoon and a starboard pontoon, a surface deck (13) mounted on top of the port and starboard pontoons, a motor (27) attached to the surface deck at the stern end thereof, a billboard (16) mounted in an upright position on the surface deck between two upwardly-protruding supports (14,15), the billboard disposed between the stern side and the bow side, the billboard being unitary nd providing a unitary port surface area (18 or 19) facing outward from the port side of the boat and a unitary starboard surface area (19 or 18) facing outward from the starboard side of the boat, the unitary port surface area and the unitary starboard surface area being for thre display of advertising indicia (16), an operator control station (23) disposed between the billboard and the bow side, an upper portion of the operator control station disposed above the surface deck and a lower portion of the operator control station being disposed below the surface deck, the operator control station providing an enclosure for an operator, the boat being capable of cruising up and down a coastline in a path generally parallel to the coastline, whereby the unitary port and starboard surface areas are visible from a coastline as the boat travels up or down the coastline, characterized in that the lower portion of the operator control station is at least partially submerged under water when the boat is in operation. The motor boat of claim 1, wherein the billboard (16) is rotatably attached to the support means (14,15) so that the unitary port surface area and the unitary starboard surface area may be reversed without changing the direction of the boat. The motor boat of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the billboard (16) extends between the stern side and the bow side of the boat, and the operator control station (23) provides a seat for an operator and houses a steering mechanism. The motor boat of any one of claims 1- 3, further comprising a port light fixture (21) for illuminating the unitary port surface area, and a starboard light fixture (21) for illuminating the unitary starboard surface area. The motor boat of any one of claims 1- 4, wherein the motor is an outboard motor attached to the stern end (25) of the surface deck.

Inventors: CEKO PETER, CEKO, PETER
Applicants: CEKCOM CORP, CEKCOM CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B63B38
IPC codes: G09F13, B63B35, B63B38, G09F21